Authorities round up 41 undocumented migrants in Kelantan and Kedah operations

KOTA BHARU, April 6 — Authorities detained 41 undocumented migrants in separate operations in Kelantan and Kedah, highlighting continued enforcement efforts against illegal entry and employment of foreign nationals.

In Kelantan, 20 Myanmar nationals were believed to have paid about RM8,000 each to agents for a journey from Myanmar into Malaysia via illegal routes for work as labourers.

South-east Brigade General Operations Force (GOF) commander SAC Ahmad Radzi Hussain said all of them were arrested in a raid at a premises in Chabang Empat, Tumpat, on Saturday.

He said the group, comprising 14 men and six women, was detained at about 1.15pm while gathered in the living room of the premises.

“Further checks found that all suspects failed to produce valid travel documents and are believed to have entered the country through illegal routes from Thailand,” he said in a statement.

Initial investigations revealed that the group had used a human smuggling network from Myanmar to Thailand before entering Malaysia illegally via river routes.

All individuals, aged between 19 and 36, were handed over to the Criminal Investigation Division of the Tumpat district police headquarters for further action under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963.

Meanwhile, in Kedah, 21 foreign nationals of various countries were detained in an Op Kutip operation at a shopping mall in Sungai Petani yesterday.

The Immigration Department, in a statement, said a total of 127 foreign nationals were inspected during the operation conducted at about 12.30pm, with 21 detained for failing to produce valid passes or permits.

“Some of the foreigners attempted to flee upon realising the presence of enforcement officers, but their attempts failed as the area had been cordoned off,” it said in a statement. — Bernama